Stackable container constituted by a cardboard outer container and a plastic inner container



Aug. 26, 1969 L. VAN DAALEN STACKABLE CONTAINER CONSTITUTED BY A CARDBOARD OUTER CONTAINER AND A PLASTIC INNER CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1966 Aug. 26, 1969 L. VAN DAALEN 3,463,378

STACKABLB CONTAINER CONSTITUTE!) BY A CARDBOARD OUTER CONTAINER AND A PLASTIC INNER CONTAINER Filed Dec. 12, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent US. Cl. 229-14 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Container comprising a relatively strong plastic inner container surrounding a cardboard outer container in such a way that the bent-over upper edges of its upstanding walls surround the upstanding walls of the inner container.

My invention relates to a container, especially suited for packing plants, vegetables and fruits and for transporting these products to the market. Containers for this purpose are known in a wide range of types. Such known containers include: those made of wood which are heavy and expensive and are being replaced by cardboard containers; cardboard containers folded from a blank, the walls being connected with each other in the vicinity of the corners. These known cardboard containers are, however, disadvantageous in that they are very sensitive to moisture, so that, when stored for some time in a moist surrounding, their strength is impaired to a great extent. These containers also are unsuitable for use in cold stores.

It has already been suggested to provide a thin insert sheet in such a cardboard container, of which the part, which bears upon the bottom, is provided with cavities which are adapted to the shape of the fruit to be packed, and of which the side walls, which are connected with the bottom, are bent around the upstanding cardboard walls. The rigidity of the container, obtained in this way, is naturally determined by the solidity of the cardboard container so that this known packing is no more suitable than the single cardboard container in a moist surroundmg.

It is an object of my invention to provide a sufficiently strong portable container which can be manufactured at a low cost and be used in a moist surrounding and which can be stacked with a number of like containers.

My invention further aims to provide a container consisting of a plastic inner container, which is able to bear the weight of the contents to be packed therein, of which the upstanding walls, the upper ends of which are outwardly bent over, forming a channel section, are at least partially enclosed by a cardboard border which continues underneath the bottom of this plastic inner container and extends as far as is required in order to permit the stacking of a number of like containers.

The cardboard container contributes only to a small extent to the solidity of the unit and serves substantially to allow for stacking and to offer the possibility of printing inscriptions on the container. The borders enclosing the Walls may be formed by the collapsible walls of a cardboard container folded from a blank. Since for the purpose of stacking, it is in fact only necessary that a narrow bottom border be provided under the plastic container which bears on the walls of the underlying container, while the bottom of the cardboard container need not contribute to the solidity of the unit, according to the invention, a part of the bottom can be advantageously removed and utilized as an inset plate on the bottom of the plastic container. As is known, it is undesirable that delicate fruits bear directly on a plastic underlayer which does not absorb moisture. On packing such fruits it is therefore now no longer necessary to add inset plates as individual elements to the containers at the market.

Another object of my invention is to provide for a container with a number of incisions, limiting the part to be detached, in the cardboard bottom; these incisions are not continuous but interrupted at intervals, so that the plate can be easily removed and the bottom with the walls connected therewith can be handled and stored as a unit.

A more complete understanding of my invention, and of further objects and features thereof can be obtained from the following description and illustrative embodiments thereof, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an individual cardboard container;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of such a cardboard container combined with a plastic container;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the container according to FIGURE 2 in inverted position, incisions being provided in the bottom of the cardboard container;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a container with an inset plate cut out from the cardboard bottom.

The cardboard container 1, shown in FIGURE 1 is unfolded from a blank and consists of a bottom 2, upright long sides 3a, 3b and upright short sides 4a, 4b. These short sides 4a and 4b are higher than the long sides and include flaps Sa-Sd which are turned inwardly.

FIGURE 2 shows how the cardboard container is combined with a plastic container 6 of which the dimensions are such that the bent over edges of the long sides 7a, 7b and of the corrugated short sides 8a, 8b define a channel section which engage the corresponding sides of the cardboard container. In order to enhance the rigidity the bottom 9 of the plastic container is also corrugated.

FIGURE 3 shows the combination of the plastic container 6 with a cardboard container 1, incisions 12a-12d being provided in the bottom 11. The plate 13 bounded by these incisions can be placed as a loose plate into the plastic container 6 (see FIGURE 4). In order to remove the plate, the short strips of material by which the incisions are interspaced are broken.

The remaining border part is wide enough to provide an adequate support when the container is stacked, in which case the border part bears on the bent over upper edges of the underlying plastic container.

The walls of the plastic container receive flaps 5a-5d at its corners, and the plastic container includes raised portions 14 at the corners forming short square seatings for retaining the bottom of a cardboard container 1 stacked thereon.

It should be noted that it is general practice in packing damageable fruit to cover the upright inner walls of the container with a narrow strip of soft material, e.g., corrugated paper, which is severed from a supply and placed in the container. The thin protective strip prevents the fruit from touching the walls of the plastic container.

Having thus described my invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A container comprising a plastic inner container adapted to bear the weight of the contents to be packed therein, said inner container including upstanding walls with upper ends which are outwardly bent over to form inner and outer walls defining a channel section, a cardboard container engaging said inner container and extending therebelow to permit stacking of a number of like containers, said cardboard container being constituted by upfolded collapsible walls of a blank, said upfolded Walls being engaged in said channel section and surrounding the inner walls of the inner container, said cardboard container having corners with raised edges thereat, said inner container having corresponding raised edges for receiving the edges of said cardboard container.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cardboard container includes a bottom with a removable portion, said inner container having a bottom for receiving the removable portion of the cardboard container.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bottom of the cardboard container has a plurality of interrupted incisions bounding the removable portion to facilitate its removal.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inner container has raised portions at said corners which are coplanar with the outer walls and constitute seats for the bottom of a cardboard container of another container stacked thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,225,705 5/1917 Dyson et al. 2,588,455 3/ 1952 Adams. 2,967,002 1/ 1961 Lammers. 2,979,250 4/ 1961 Hobbs 220-97 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 565,715 8/1937 Italy. 799,792 8/1958 Great Britain. 1,289,639 2/ 1962 France.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

